Paris: Pakistan has urged the UNESCO Executive Board to support the continued operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), emphasizing the need for accountability in alleged war crimes and violations of international law by Israel in Gaza. At the Eighth Special Session of UNESCO’s Executive Board, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad highlighted the severe impact on Gaza’s educational infrastructure and the humanitarian plight of Palestinian refugees.

According to Press Information Department, Ambassador Ahmad stressed the critical role of UNRWA in providing education and humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees, noting that the agency has been systematically targeted by Israeli forces. With significant casualties among students, teachers, and UNRWA staff, the Ambassador underscored the urgency for UNESCO to reaffirm its support for UNRWA’s mandate and reject any attempts to undermine its operations. He called for the international community to uphold responsibilities towards Palestinian refugees and emphasized the need for a ceasefire and the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state.